About

Our Mission and History

We’re The Color Run, the world’s first COLOR 5K™ event. Founded in 2011, our mission is to bring people together and make the world a happier, healthier place. By creating an experience that’s more about the memories you make than your mile per minute, we made running feel accessible to a broader demographic.

Now the largest running series in the world, “The Happiest 5K on the Planet” has been experienced by over 6 million runners worldwide in 35+ countries, and continues to be a leader in the fun running space.

Here’s our colorful history at a glance:

2014

The Color Run debuts their first ever U.S. night run in Philadelphia! The Color Run Night is born.

2014

The Color Run Launched its massively successful Kaleidoscope Tour which visited over 150 cities in the U.S. and Canada.

2015

Color Runners around the world experienced the Shine Tour which introduced a whole new element of sparkle.

2016

The Color Run Tropicolor World Tour brought and exciting, island-style 5k vacation to cities around the world.

2017

The Color Run Dream World Tour is adding a colorful cloud Foam Zone to an already magical 5k course.

Dream World Tour 2017

Get ready to Dream in Colors. The Color Run Dream World Tour 2017 takes Color Runners to a world where anything is possible and inspires participants to make dreams a reality in this magical 5K course.

Color Runners will feel on top of the world in the brand-new Foam Zone as they run through dreamy colored foam, shower in the classic powder Color Zones. Participants can paint their aspirations on the Dream Wall, snap whimsical photos with giant unicorns, and get the ultimate color inspiration as they party with friends at the Finish Festival amidst vibrant bursts of color throws.

Each Color Runner will receive a limited-edition Dream Tour race shirt, Sunglasses, a fun temporary tattoo, and a one-of-a-kind Unicorn Finisher’s Medal. Whether you bring your squad of BFFs or your crew of kids and family, it’s a 5K course that will have everyone feeling like they’re on Cloud Nine.

How The Event Works

Less about your 10-minute-mile and more about having the time of your life, The Color Run is a five-kilometer, un-timed event in which thousands of participants, or “Color Runners”, are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. With only two rules, the idea is easy to follow:

1Wear white at the starting line!

2Finish plastered in color!

After Color Runners complete the race, the fun continues with an unforgettable Finish Festival. This larger than life party is equipped with music, dancing and massive color throws, which create millions of vivid color combinations. Trust us, this is the best post-5K party on the planet! The map below outlines The Color Run 5K at a glance:

Healthiness

While our 5K event is all about having fun, we also focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle. More than half of our participants are first-time 5K runners and the event is making headway on the national focus of improving health and wellness. We hope that The Color Run 5K event will be able to act as a catalyst for our participants to live an active, healthy lifestyle.

Happiness

Seeing how happy The Color Run has made people has been tremendously rewarding for us. It is an event for all fitness levels, ages and backgrounds. Our tag line, “The Happiest 5K on the Planet,” was created after seeing the expressions of pure joy from participants. Want to add some happiness to your life? Find Your City Here

Individuality

Color Runners vary in demographics and reasons for running. With no winners or official times, The Color Run caters to everyone—first time runners to seasoned athletes. Some Color Runners participate as a celebration and capstone of their healthy living accomplishments, while others participate for reasons unique to them. What are you running for?

Fill out the form below to receive an email from us as soon as our volunteer sign up page is available!

Official Sponsors

2017 is going to be even more fun than before! I can’t wait until The Color Run hits my city!

I had a blast playing in the foam with my kids – I may have been more excited than they were!

What Is The Color Run?

The Color Run, also known as the Happiest 5k on the Planet, is a unique paint race that celebrates healthiness, happiness, and individuality. Now the largest running series in the world, The Color Run has been experienced by over 6 million runners worldwide in 35+ countries.